


Kepler at Heart

by sephrati



Series: Kepler at Heart [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Backstory, Character Development, F/M, Goes into Present, Implied Sternclay, Kinda canon, M/M, Meet the Family, Oops, Origins, Tags to be added, Teen for Language and Slight Gore/Violence, because I have no self control, but also kinda not, ngl starts out pretty sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-10-15 09:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17525741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sephrati/pseuds/sephrati
Summary: Duck Newton wasn't always Duck. He wasn't always so unsure of himself, so self deprecating, so afraid.He wasn't always so alone.Jane is his sister, but she doesn't live in Kepler any more.Where did she go?Will she ever come back?And how the hell did he get the name Duck?---A six chapter backstory that takes place after the Tree abomination and before the present arc with the mimic, standing as it’s own interlude (also includes Indrid, because I think he came back and I refuse to do it any other way)  and tells the story of Duck and his sister Jane, and her arrival back in Kepler.Hope you enjoy!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoy the story!:)

Kepler, West Virginia had always been home to the Newton Family. Mr. Donald T. Newton had run a dentistry practice for 20 years, tending to nearly all kids and teens throughout braces. Mrs. Catherine G. Newton taught second grade at Kepler Elementary for nearly as long, adored by both kids and parents through all of her years. They had their son, Donald Jr., when they were both quite young, but they loved him nonetheless. 7 years later, they had their second and last child, Jane. Both children were loved dearly by their parents, and they grew up happy in an older home near the center of town.

Jane and Donald Jr. had an age difference, but were as close as could be through their childhood years. They looked strikingly alike, both given their mothers straight brown hair and their father’s green eyes. They fought more and more as they both got older, but it never stopped them from counting on each other through thick and thin.

One day when Jane was watching her favorite TV show, Duck Tales, at the age of six, Donald Jr. sat by her on the couch, munching on sugary off brand cereal and absentmindedly watching it with her. When Donald Duck came on and started talking with his scraggly yet hilarious voice, Jane giggled and pointed at Donald, yelling,  
“Donald! Donald Duck! That's **you!** ”

Donald just shrugged and kept on eating, but their father heard it from the dining room table and burst out laughing, setting down his newspaper and wiping his eyes. Catherine frowned, not too happy with the nickname, but said nothing, knowing that there was no way it would ever catch on.

She was, of course, incorrect.

In grocery stores, Jane would scream her brothers nickname through the aisles, excitedly showing him the newest cereal toy in boxes of Captain Crunch. Neighbors and townsfolk chuckled at the antics, talking to Catherine through laughter,  
“My oh my, Cathy, that’s just a riot! Duck, now that’s a name!”  
Catherine learned to smile and say nothing.

On his first day of middle school, Jane ran up to her brother and hugged him tight, saying a bit too loudly,  
“Bye Duck! Have a good day!”

Soon enough, his friends caught on, and through the school day he would get hit on the back of the neck with spitballs as quacking echoed from the back of the classroom.  
Those first few months were hellish for Donald, but soon enough, the name just caught on. Teachers started accidentally calling him Duck, and his name tags and papers soon switched to the new name. Donald just accepted it. He always hated how formal Donald sounded, and never liked getting called the same name as his father. Duck it was, and Duck it will be.

Catherine, although, still absolutely refused, until one night at dinner she slipped out,  
“How was your day at school, Duck?”  
The table went dead silent, and then exploded into laughter.  
After realizing what she had done, Catherine excused herself from the table and hurried out of the room, knowing she wouldn't live that down for years.

Duck entered high school, and stumbled through it all with little grace or dignity. His grades were passable but unimpressive, and he played no sports besides attempting to skateboard that mostly ended up with way too many broken arms. He had surprisingly high grades in his science and biology classes, thanks to the fact that they were the only classes he was truly interested in. At seventeen, he slowly drifted away from hanging out with his now ten year old sister. Their only time together was rides to and from the mall or roller rink thanks to blackmail from Jane, her wit a little too much not to notice the fact her brother sometimes had bloodshot eyes and small bags of “ _unidentified green substances_ ” in his bedroom. Although annoyed, he had to give her credit for the fact she never once told their parents, and those car rides were full of blasting music and Duck endlessly teasing Jane over her so called boyfriend of the month.

Duck was also not one for romance. He was, in Kepler standards, mostly attractive, but his problem was that he just didn't care. At family dinners his parents tried to coax him to get the girl and at least ask someone out, but Duck would always shrug it off and mutter something into his meatloaf. His parents were ecstatic that he brought a girl named Tabitha to senior prom, but he didn't have the heart to tell them the only reason she said yes was because he’d promised her a free meal out of it. It wasn't until one long car ride to the mall during the summer after graduation that Duck nervously admitted to Jane after a lot of pestering that he wasn't so much into girls as he was guys. Jane was a little too excited about it for Duck’s taste and started listing off guys that she thought would be “perfect for him.” Duck made her swear not to tell anyone, and she agreed, as long as she got the first news on any guy that caught his eye.

Then, to his parent’s delight, Duck applied for a ranger job at Monongahela National Park, picking to go through a year of training and internship to truly pursue something he loved over wasting money on four grueling years at a college that would never fulfill him. Along with Duck, his childhood friend Juno applied to the position, and together they went through the extensive training and teaching on everything about the park. Jane, although she would never admit it, was glad her brother was still in town. Sure, the rides were nice, and the teasing never got old, but he was her brother, and the thought of him somewhere far away was too much to bare.

During this all, Duck kept one important secret from his little sister. He knew she could never know about this “destiny” thing that constantly haunted him. Before he moved out, Duck realized Jane was suspicious about the things he was up to. He would get caught talking to thin air, wake up at night yelling and screaming from recurring nightmares, and Jane swore she kept hearing some weird voice loudly insulting her brother on several occasions. Duck somehow convinced her he had just been smoking too much and promised to cut it out as long as she didn't confide in their parents. So, Duck moved out, taking his destiny weighted heavily on his shoulders and a sword he knew he would one day fling into the nearest river.

He hated lying to his sister, hated keeping the thing that worried him most from her, but in the end, it was for the better.

Jane, on the other hand, was never once convinced her brother wasn't hiding something. She put up a fake smile and never questioned him further, sensing his obvious unease. She knew her brother better than anyone, and she knew in a split second when he was covering the truth.

Jane, unlike her brother, was an amazing liar.

Jane moved through highschool with the ease and grace her brother lacked. She was popular, smart, and beautiful, constantly doted over by a new boy every month. Her posse never left her side, breezing through the hallways every day with all eyes on her. Her popularity was built on her clique and boyfriends, and even though from the outside, she looked like the sweetheart of Kepler, there were too many days she felt like a fake. She earned her straight As easily, knowing that it was her only ticket out of town, and moved from boyfriend to boyfriend, trying to fulfill the void slowly forming in her heart.

He parents only ever saw her dazzling smile and report card, never the nights Jane spent in her room crying over what she had done that day, the person she was becoming, the friends that would leave her in a second, the boys that loved her looks, not her. She poured it all into hidden sketchbooks and art pieces that she put together in a portfolio, switching her dreams to a new life in New York where she could attend art school and leave this stupid town behind. Duck was the only person she ever showed her sketches to, never telling him their purpose, just searching for feedback. He complimented every single one and bought her art supplies and canvas for her birthday behind their parent’s back, thinking it was just some rebellious phase similar to the one he had. He didn't like what his sister was becoming, but Jane hid her sadness too well for him to ever confront her. She just wanted to make it through high school alive and get out of Kepler for good, even if it meant leaving her brother behind.

They both had secrets filling their minds. They both wished they could tell each other the truth. Duck was now twenty-four, happily working in the forest, ignoring his destiny and getting drowned by his fears. Jane was seventeen, going through high school day after day, counting down until her own graduation, her ticket out of town and her personal suffering.

Duck ignored his vision on the night of April 17.  
Jane regretted her last words, her final goodbye.

They didn't know.  
They just didn't know.

* * *

 

He ran through a red light, car swaying wildly. He was drunk and out of it, and didn't see them coming. Mr. and Mrs. Newton drove on green.

They were hit straight on.  
They felt no pain, they died instantly from the crash.  
Mr. Olsman, the drunk driver, was sent the hospital with severe injuries, and he did not survive.

They died instantly from the crash.

Duck had a vision three nights before, of two cars hitting suddenly, one looking oddly like his parents Pontiac Grand Am, and the other unintelligible through the weird haze that always showed up in these weird dreams. How could he have known?

They died instantly from the crash.

Jane had just had a huge fight with her parents before they left to go out to dinner. They had gotten a call from another parent saying Jane had bullied their daughter for weeks with her friends. Jane denied it all, yelling at them for even accusing her of such of thing, knowing very well every word was true. Her mother started crying, saying she had drifted away from them, that they didn't know who she was anymore. Her father brought her mom to the car as Jane screamed one last thing at them,  
“I HATE YOU!”  
Her very last words to them. How could she have known?

They died instantly from the crash.

It was Juno who had gotten to Duck first, out of breath and tears streaming down her face. He made some humorous comments about her state, but then she couldn't speak through her tears, and Duck had to go up to her and calm her down. She struggled as a police officer walked in the ranger’s office, Officer Andy, their dad’s childhood best friend, his expression grim.  
“Duck. I need to talk to you.”

The Newton’s neighbor, Mr. Bell, ran to the front door step, banging on the door loudly, calling Jane’s name. Jane answered the door, mascara stains down her cheeks after crying from her latest breakdown, and Mr. Bell assumed much too soon,  
“Jane, oh god, you must have already heard. Sweetie, I'm so sorry-”  
Jane raised her eyebrows and tried to cut in, incredibly confused, but stopped short when a police car pulled up, and her brother stumbled out of it, running towards her.

Jane, increasingly frantic, noticing her brothers tears and shaky hands, met him on the sidewalk and babbled,  
“Duck, **_what the fuck is going on_** , what's happening, Duck-”

Duck grabbed Jane’s shoulders and kept his mouth closed, as Officer Andy walked up behind him, looking at the two with immense sadness.  
“Son, I can tell her if you don't want to. I’ve been trained to do this, I-”

Duck held up his trembling hand and he went silent, nodding as he stepped back.  
Jane shrugged off his grip and hissed at him, now angry at the tiptoeing that was happening before her very eyes,  
“Damnit, Duck, just tell me! Please-”

Duck hugged her close and whispered something in her ear, so quiet that Mr. Bell and Officer Andy never heard what he said. The next thing they knew was that Jane had passed out in Duck’s arms, and Duck held her up, whispering louder,  
“I'm so sorry, Jane… I'm sorry…”

After an ambulance came to make sure she was alright, the two sat on their doorstep as police and grieving neighbors came to console them, Jane wearing Duck’s oversized jacket over her shoulders.

They said nothing, just held each other close, each of them too struck with grief and regret to do or say anything. Duck heard an officer try to get a hold of their relatives, and he picked out Officers Andy’s voice telling a frazzled Juno that the two weren't ready to talk to anyone right now.

The voices and sirens became buzzing in their ears, both emotionless and dried out from crying, the situation still not setting in. At any moment, their parents would come hug them and say it was a big misunderstanding, and that they were here, they always would be here. They were supposed to always be here.

How could they have known?

* * *

 

The entire town of Kepler seemed to show up at the funeral. It was a simple burial, the Newtons not particularly religious or constant church-goers, so the town pastor simply said a few resting words as two caskets were lowered into the fresh earth.

Duck stood rigid in his too-tight graduation suit from six years prior, eyes glazed over and hands trembling as he held on tight to Jane’s hand. Jane stood in her only black dress she owned, the one her father would say was much too short for her age, the one her boyfriends always liked. She felt a clawing on the back of her mind, like she was almost dancing on their graves, hurting them even after the were dead.

What she would give to talk to them for one minute. To say sorry, to tell them how much she loved them, how much she already missed those mandatory Sunday night family dinners, how much she yearned to hear her dad’s booming laugh, to see her mother smile. She hoped they weren't still sad when the cars collided. She prayed their lost final thought wasn't how awful their daughter was before metal hit metal and everything screeched to a halt and there was blood, oh god, how much blood was there-

She felt her brothers grasp tighten as she noticed the wet on her cheeks dripping down her chin. Jane had barely cried in the last few days, holding it in a cracked dam that threatened to burst at any second. The only person she had was Duck, but even he seemed centuries away, lost in his own mind.

Duck noticed his little sister’s tears and squeezed her hand, so unsure of what to say at this point. He noticed the pastor’s lips moving, he saw Officer Andy say something about his parents, fellow teachers and parents coming to praise their mom, his father’s colleagues relating humorous stories about his dad, but he heard nothing.

He felt nothing.

Since that day, Duck had mulled over every second of the vision he had, every single minute that passed when he didn’t do something. He knew he saw his parents car, he knew what was going to happen, and he did nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

And now, as dirt is shoveled over the ornate caskets of the people who raised him, who bandaged his scraped knees, who kissed his cheek every morning, who supported him every single day of his life, he couldn’t help but feel that it was all his fault.

The funeral procession ended, and people swarmed Duck and Jane, giving their condolences, sharing stories, trying to comfort the children who had lost so much, but they only plastered on a sad smile and nodded through it all.

Soon, nearly everyone had left for the funeral luncheon besides Mr. Bell, who was going to pull up a car to give them a ride to the venue. Jane and Duck stood before the tombstones that read their parents names, and for the first time in days, let go of each other’s hands, silence filling the abnormally cold spring air.

Kepler was awfully quiet that day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all,  
> Since I have little to no self control, I started yet another work because why not! I always loved the idea of Duck's sister Jane and I wanted to write a backstory based off them. This will be a somewhat short six chapter work (if it all goes as planned) and updates should (hopefully) be weekly. Here's some writer's notes for the story:
> 
> -I know it's somewhat canonical that they're more like 11 years apart on age but I whittled it down a tiny bit to make their close relationship make more sense  
> -ducks name is actually Donald, fight me  
> -since there's really no info on Jane, I took the liberty of kinda making up her charcater traits and personality, but because the podcast is still going on this arc, who knows what's going to be mentioned about her in the future, but I'm just writing from basic ideas now  
> -Duck's parents are also not mentioned, so I think its either they ar dead, or they just haven't come up yet  
> -I'll try to keep the plot as set in stone as I can, but like i said, this is just for fun, and whatever happens happens
> 
> On chapter 2 I'll probably link to my tumblr where I'll post my character references for Jane and how I personally thinks she looks, but for now i just wanted to get the prologue up and running.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, I so appreciate every kudos and comment so much, and I have another TAZ story based on Balance called Dancing With the Birds, so please check that out too if you'd like!
> 
> That's all for now, thank you for you're time and support!
> 
> stay fresh,  
> sephrati


	2. French Onion Soup for the Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck remembers something. A phone call is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> take a shot every time you see the word casserole

“Jane…?”  
Silence.  
“Jane, please open the door…let's just get dinner somewhere, get outta the house…”  
Silence, yet again.  
“Janie-”  
“I told you not to ** _FUCKING_** call me that!”  
There she is.

Duck creaked open Jane’s bedroom door and stepped into the dark room, a small smile meeting his lips as he saw the silhouette of his disgruntled sister sitting at the edge of her bed, arms crossed. Her room was somehow messier than usual, books and clothes covering nearly all of the floor, sheets and pillows rumpled at the end of the bed frame.

Duck leaned against the door frame and tapped his fingers awkwardly against the wood, searching for the right words, any words at all.

“Uh- we've been cooped up for awhile… and I don't think I can stomach another mediocre casserole, so let’s go get some soup, ‘mkay?”

“I don’t want to go.”  
Jane’s croaky voice hung in the air, her eyes unfocused on her brother as she hugged herself tighter.

“Jane, you haven't been eating. You need food, you need to get outside. C’mon, you and me, like old times.”

Duck snapped and did a little finger gun action in Jane’s direction, and he swore he heard a snort from her corner.

“You’re paying, dipshit.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, dear Janie.”

Jane shot up and flung a pillow at Duck, yelling,  
“Fuck- I told you not to call me that!”

Duck was already running down the hall, chuckling as his sister slid into the hallway, a small laugh escaping her.

It had been such a long time since he’d heard her laugh.

* * *

 

Twenty minutes later, Duck pulled into the gravel parking lot of the diner near the ski lodge, unbuckling his seatbelt as he glanced over at Jane.

Jane stared blankly through the front windshield, knuckles white from gripping the seat arm rests for many minutes. She finally relaxed, exhaling as she slowly let go of her death grip, her gaze softening as she glanced at her brother.

“Sorry- about all that- I-”

Duck held up his hand and said,  
“Don’t even sweat it. We’re here now.”

The drive had been filled with Jane nervously trying to instruct Duck to go slower on the streets and to double check at meeting roads. When they got into a backed up intersection, Jane had shakily started yelling to get off the road and to go another way. Duck obliged the entire way, taking back roads that added an extra ten minutes to their trip, allowing his sister to calm down.

Duck got out of the car and Jane followed, the two trudging up to the front door in silence. It was May now, nearly two weeks after the accident and funeral. Kepler seemed to mirror the town’s mood, a season that was supposed to be warm and sunny unusually cool and gloomy, overcast nearly everyday. Before it all, Jane might have complained about the sun being hidden and the melancholy feeling it cast over the town, but now she almost liked it, the outside world mimicking her own mood.

The ding of the entrance bell let diner owner Tess give the two a booth, setting menus in front of them with a sad smile, grabbing Duck and Jane’s hand and giving them each a squeeze,  
“Dolls, I’m so very sorry for your loss. Don’t worry about the tab tonight, y’all just eat up and enjoy some warm food, okay?”

Duck nodded and said a small thanks and Jane muttered something along with it, snapping her hand back as Tess walked away.

“So glad she thinks a free dinner can bring our parent’s back to life.”

Duck frowned and retorted,  
“Jane-”

“Whatever, okay? I know they're trying to be nice. I’m just getting so sick of it.”

Duck sighed and said nothing, rearranging the cutlery to his left nervously as Jane rested her head on her hand, eyes unfocused and dull.

There had been so little said between the two in the weeks following their parents deaths. Duck had stayed by Jane’s side the entire time, staying at their house and checking up on her every waking moment, but all the two had exchanged is nods as they passed each other and one word answers to questions regarding basic life needs. They had neighbors and friends come to their doorstep every day, bringing foil covered pans of whatever nasty grief casserole they decided who speed along the coping process, and comfort Duck for a solid hour as Jane stubbornly hid in her room. He'd expected one of her many friends to come to comfort her, or her new boyfriend, Jefferey, but nobody came.

Wait, why did no one come see Jane?

Duck sat up a little straighter and leaned back on the wooden booth bench, asking  
“Jane, why haven't I seen Jeff or any of your friends come ‘round? You know they're always welcome, ‘specially if you want to go spend a day with ‘em.”

Jane scoffed and glared at her brother, brushing a long strand of brown air away from her eyes.  
“I told Jeff to stay the hell away from me. All of my quote on quote ‘friends’ too,”  
Jane danced her fingers in the air, mimicking quotation marks as she spat the word friends with a venom Duck had never heard before.

“They couldn't care less about me. Can’t be popular anymore if my family is fucked, can I? Plus, they don't have time to deal with my grief. They need to spend their time on important things.”

“Jane, I'm so s-”

Jane flung up her hands, knees knocking against the bottom of the table causing the glasses and silverware to rattle,  
“It doesn't matter, ok? I don't need you to apologize to me.”  
  
Duck opened his mouth but then closed it, forming a firm line across his mouth. Jane leaned back against the seat and sighed, silence hanging in the air.

Twenty minutes later, Tess set two steaming bowls of French Onion soup in front of the two, her twinkly voice ringing cheerily,  
“Eat up, dolls. Call me over if you need anything at all, m’kay?”

After she shuffled away, Jane picked up her spoon and plunged it through the cheesy top, pushing it down until the metal clinked against the ceramic bottom. Duck followed suit, performing the specialized Newton Technique for eating the family favorite cuisine. They ate in silence, Jane eating more than Duck had seen her consume in weeks, scraping up every last drop from her bowl until nothing was left. Duck grinned and remarked,  
“Well, someone was hungry.”

Rolling her eyes, Jane snapped back, a small smile hinting at the corner of her mouth,  
“So sue me, it's the first non-casserole I've seen in forever. Soup is the peak of comfort food.”

“Truly, dear Janie. French Onion soup cures all.”

Jane, for once, didn't chastise Duck for using her god awful nickname, and let the smile consume her face.

“Maybe it does. At least for a little bit.”

Duck looked at his sister, still smiling, and met her eyes, agreeing,  
“At least for a little bit, Janie.” 

* * *

 

Duck stared down at his bowl of French Onion soup, sitting in the same booth he and his sister sat nearly twenty years ago. He sighed, plunging his spoon through the top until he heard the clink, and brought it to his lips. Glancing over, he gave a small nod to Tess, now in her sixties, but still as spunky as ever, as she smiled and called,

“Taste good as ever, Duck?”

“Sure does Tess, thanks to you.”

Tess turned back to the door as the bell dinged and two more customers walked in, and Duck looked back to his bowl.

After finally defeating the latest abomination that entailed a fight with multiple goat people, a tree, having to save Indrid, and as he got home, saying goodbye to his- friend? Minerva, and basically having his entire life being thrown upside down, he thought he deserved a treat.

French Onion soup cures all.

For Duck, it cured the death of his parents. It cured his relationship with his sister, Jane, and helped him cope through her departure to art school in New York after she just turned 18. It helped him get through the months they barely talked, it helped him get through every single anniversary of his parents death, through the burden of his destiny, through every single damn abomination, through his feelings for a certain moth man that he dared not to even acknowledge.

French Onion soup cures all, at least for a little bit.

But Duck didn't have a little bit. He didn't have his powers anymore, he didn't have his phantasmal friend. He was fighting monsters, for fuck’s sake, laying his life on the line. He just punched the person he may or may not have feelings for, and god knows if he’s ever going to see him again.

Duck didn't have a little bit, and this was something soup couldn't and wouldn't cure.

So, an hour later, night surrounding him as cicadas buzzed, Duck Newton stood at a payphone.

Hundreds of miles away, someone picked up the phone at an ungodly hour, voice thick with sleep as she answered.

“He-hello? Jane speakin’-”

“Hey, Janie, I know its late, but I was just thinkin’-”

Jane Newton shot up in her bed, holding the receiver close to her ear as she heard the voice of her brother,  
“Duck? What the fuck, we just talked at Candlenights, what’s-”

“Just let me finish, please Janie?”

Leaning down in her bed, Jane sighed,  
“I- ok. Ok, what's up?’

“Come down to Kepler. To visit. Please, I know you're busy, I know we can still talk over the phone, but I haven't seen you in forever and-”

“Yes.”

“But I very well can't leave here, there's really no off season for rangers, you know how it is-”

“Yes.”

“It doesn't even matter how long, just-”

“Duck, I said yes!”

“You- what?”

Jane laughed and said,  
“I miss you too, dipshit. I'd love to visit. We can figure out dates, I’ll stay for a whole damn week, even.”

Duck leaned against the payphone and grinned, staring out into the dark woods.  
“That's- great. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too, you old man. Now let me fucking sleep.”

“Okay, Janie. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Duckie. And don't fucking call me that.”

The line went off, and the monotone ring echoed through the air. Duck hung up the receiver and walked toward his car, the taste of soup lingering on his tongue, but more importantly, the sound of his sisters voice familiar in his mind.

Soup didn't matter if there wasn't someone to share it with, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading chapter two! I'm so sorry this took forever to write and its not too long, school is hectic and I've been really busy. Updates are never going to be on a schedule, so I'm going to stop promising them so. But, they'll come eventually, so look forward to that!
> 
> There's a pretty big time jump in here, but I did that so i could move onto a more present day. The rest of the story will take place after the tree abomination and loss of powers and will end before the new abomination that's happening now.
> 
> That's all for now, hope you enjoyed, and kudos if you like it and comment, i love comments so much and responding to them, it truly makes my day!
> 
> French Onion soup is baller 
> 
> stay fresh,  
> sephrati


	3. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Departures, arrivals, and some sibling bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! ;)

“Are you sure you have everything?”  
Jane rolled her eyes and heaved her backpack on her right shoulder, her ponytail swinging as she straightened and stood.

“Yes, Duck, for the billionth time, I'm sure I have everything. Everything was shipped up last week anyway, and besides, I’ll be in New York, not Mars.”

Duck ran a hand absentmindedly through his hair, gripping the steering wheel tight even though they were already parked. He glanced at his sister worriedly, and saw her eyebrows crossed in annoyance.

“I'm just worried, so sue me! I feel so fucking bad I can't go up with you, and I just want to make sure everything is going to be okay, and-”

Jane shut her passenger car door and shouted from outside,  
“Enough! You have to work, it’s fine, but I'm going to miss my fuckin’ flight if you keep gabberin’ on. C’mon-”

Duck sighed and got out of the car, staring up at the looming airport.

She was just going to college. She's just hundreds miles of way, in a new city, with people she doesn't know…

“ ** _JANE! JANE_** \- YOU FORGET YOUR- UH- HAIR TIE-”

Duck reached into the car and grabbed a forsaken hair tie off the floor, sprinting after his sister and weaving through concerned travelers looking on. Jane glanced back and groaned, snapping as soon as Duck nearly ran into her before security,  
“Geezus, Duck, what it is now? I swear to god I have every-”

Duck heaved and tried to catch his breath, holding up the single black dusty hair tie and struggling out,  
“Your... hair… tie…”

Jane stared down at the rubber band in Duck’s hand and picked it up gently, securing it around her wrist as she gazed at her brother. God, why did he look so worried? He went up with her for the college tours, saw the dorm, helped ship her stuff, and packed with her the night before. It’s not even that far, just a little bit up north, and-

Oh.  
Shit.

Duck stood up and wiped at his eyes, now glassy and slightly watering. He rubbed at them, harshly muttering,  
“I- you're right, I’m sorry, I’ll go-”

Jane let go of her suitcase and wrapped her arms around him tightly, whispering,  
“Just say you're going to miss me, dumbass.”

Duck smiled and did the same, whispering,  
“I'm going to miss you, Janie.”

“Me too, Duck. Me too.”

An hour later, Duck stood at the airport window, hand reaching out to gently graze the glass as his eyes followed the plane that held his sister. On his wrist, there was Jane’s hair tie, the black band covered with some dust but safely kept where Jane had put it on him before she got on her flight. At that point, the two had exchanged no words, but smiled at each other, one last wave given before her brown pony tail disappeared within a crowd of cranky travelers.

Duck sniffled and raised his chin as the plane disappeared over the clouds, carrying Jane farther and farther away.

He may not have known at the time, but Jane wouldn't have step foot in Kepler again for nearly twenty years. That because of a lack of phone service, there was only crackly phone calls in other cities, letters filled with blurry pictures, and a relationship not broken, but strained. That people now so close to him, the fighters by his side, would not know that he had a sister. Who would not know about the gravestones with his family name on it. Who wouldn't recognize the young girl in the photo on Duck’s mantel.

That is, until now.

* * *

 

Duck fiddled with the hair tie on his wrist, the one Aubrey teased him about constantly, her voice ringing in his ears as he looked nervously around the airport.

“Duck, why do you have a hair tie? Isn't that, I dunno, for people who still have HAIR!”

That would usually follow with a high five from wither Ned or Jake, as Duck put out a forced chuckle and shoot back on how he had plenty of hair left, thank you very much.

Also, it was so much easier to say than to explain that it was his sisters, whom he hadn't seen in twenty years.

Much easier.

But now, for some unknown reason, she had agreed to come back. Why, he didn't know, but he was just glad to have her come back home.

Duck felt as if he knew everything, yet nothing about her. He remembered her favorite spoon that she used to eat her Captain Crunch everyday, he knew how toasty she liked her bread, her fear of tarantulas, her love of disco music, but he didn't know the name of her fiancé, (Mark, right? Or was it Drew… or Kurtis?), what color her hair was, (after she moved to New York, she chopped it off and changed it every couple of months), or even if her preference of toast changed.

All of this sat firmly in Duck’s mind as he scanned through the crowd, looking earnestly for Jane. He fingers drummed nervously against the bench as he became more frantic, jumping from face, trying to find her. Oh my god, did he forget her face? He couldn't have, he would never- would he? Would he forget her face after all this ti-

“Duck! DUCK!”

Oh, wait.  
There she is.

Out of the crowd, Jane shoved her way through, smiling brightly as she saw her brothers face. Duck shot up and met her eyes, instantly snapping out of his trance and grinning.

“Janie- god, took ya long enough- ouGH-”

Jane didn't let him finish, strangling him into a tight hug and laughing.  
“Shut it, dipshit. I'm here now.”

Duck chuckled and untangled himself, standing back and looking over his sister. Her hair was now chopped short and blonde, some peeks of brown coming through her overgrown roots. She wore overalls and a sweater, probably way more dressed for a New York chilly January than a slightly warmer Kepler. She looked wildly different, everything about her seeming so… new. But one lasting constant was her two bright green eyes, and her wide smile, the one Duck cherished.

“You look good, Janie. Love the hair.”

Jane gave a tight lipped smile and adjusted the strap of her purse.

“You too, Duckie. Just lookin a little bit grayer, tho.”

She nudged his shoulder as Duck gave an offended,  
“Hey!”  
And walked past him as she grabbed her suitcase off the conveyor belt.

Duck took the suitcase from her hands, mind whirling as he noticed her slight but still noticeable New York accent. She nodded a thanks and walked next to him as they made their way out of the airport, an uncomfortable silence between them.

Before long, Jane’s stuff was thrown in the back of Duck’s car, and they were on the road, ready for the couple hour journey back to Kepler.

Jane turned towards her window, her eyes dancing over the West Virginia greenery as Duck gripped the steering wheel tighter and tighter each passing minute, glancing at his sister every few minutes. What do you say? How do you even begin the conversation with the sister you don't truly know?

Jane sighed and leaned back into her seat, smiling slightly as she turned towards Duck, asking,  
“Soooo… any possible guys on the roster at the moment?”

Duck nearly swerved the car and sputtered,  
“Me? No, no, nope. It’s uh- been awhile, honestly.”

Jane smirked and leaned in closer, drawling,  
“Really? Because it sounds like there's someone on your mind~”

Taking a deep breath, Duck briefly flashed back to when Jane was much shorter and still in her tweens, making him pinky promise to tell her all possible ‘options’.

And then his mind flashed to Indrid, and the nights they spent together over two mugs of eggnog, supposedly on ‘Pine Guard Duty’, but truly talking about various flora and fauna as crickets chirped outside. And how what was supposed to be once a week check ups turned into nearly every other night get togethers that Duck refused to say were dates, even though he looked forward to them as if they were one-

“Uh- there is someone, but I doubt there's anything there.”

Jane clapped her hands together, grinning from ear to ear.

“Duck! That's great! And you don't know that for sure, just think about what would happen if-”

“I actually would rather not talk about it, at least not right now.”

Duck stared straight ahead, trying to stop Jane from giving him any hope that there was something, because there wasn't. (At least he tried to convince himself of that)

Jane frowned slightly and opened her mouth to say something, only to close it again.

“Well, okay. But I'm getting more info by the end of this trip if it kills me.”

Duck smiled, hurriedly trying to change the subject, and his eyes flashed to the gold ring on Jane's left ring finger, smile stretching wider.

“Got a wedding date yet?”

Jane looked down at her ring and fiddled with it, saying softly,  
“Not quite yet. We're going to wait a little while…”

“Sounds good to me as long as I’m there, Janie. I wouldn't miss you and- uh- Mark…?”

“Patrick.”

“Patrick! Of course, Pat. You didn't let me finish.”

“Mhm… sure.”

A couple hours went by fast, the tension easily broken by anecdotes from their childhood and crazy New York stories from Jane along with forest tales from Duck.

In the middle of a story from Jane about how her neighbor in one of her apartment building was arrested from the FBI because he was a cannibal, Duck held up his hand, and shushed her.

“Janie…”

Duck grinned and motioned to the front of them, the Kepler City Limits sign looming over them, the touristy and faded lettering greeting them warmly as Duck said,

“Welcome home.”

Some miles away, in a Winnebago tucked away in the Monongahela, a seer’s red glasses caught the light as his pencil hurriedly scribbled across the page, drawing the outline of a car driving into the city, two people sitting the front.

“Ah… Jane Newton has returned…”

A semi unsettling smile shined in the darkness as the drawing was meticulously tacked on the bulletin board, Indrid carefully admiring his work.

“Why, this is going to be interesting.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all-  
> Thank you so much for reading Chapter 3 of Kepler at Heart. I'm so sorry for how long this took, the past month or so has been insanely busy, but I hope this makes up for it! As summer rolls around very soon, updates will be way more frequent! Thank you for all the support so far, and I hope y'all are doing great! :)
> 
> stay fresh,  
> sephrati


	4. Foreseen Yet Unforeseen Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck takes Jane to get groceries. Jane sees some new faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took WAY longer than I thought, hope you enjoy!

Wheels crunched over gravel as Duck pulled into Leo Tarkesian's General Store, Jane looking up at building, eyebrows raised.

"Did they renovate this place? It looks... new?"

Duck coughed as he recalled the debacle that took place a few months ago, a near death experience that came from Ned’s jetpack joyride and a lethal Pizza Hut sign.

"Yeah- had some weather damage, and... uh, needed to partially rebuild.

Jane gave a small huff and stepped out of the car, slamming the door as Duck followed and stood by her side, hands in his pockets, thankful she didn't notice the red in his face or sweaty hands that showed his obvious lie.

Jane had actually never met Leo, for he came soon after her departure. Jane did remember the previous owner, Ronald, who owned the extremely sketchy "Liquor and Smoke Emporium" that the teens of Kepler would dare each other to try and buy six-packs, only to be thrown out by a screaming store manager. After Ronald retired and Leo entered town, the place was completely refurbished, and now sits Leo's General Store, a location Duck wanted to first bring his sister to, one, get food for the incoming week she was staying with him, and, two, put off as much as the possible the meeting of her and his fellow Pine Guard members.

It wasn't that Duck didn't trust them, it was just that the people seemed to be divided into two separate points in his life. Jane, the earlier chapter of his life that included his childhood, his parents, and their death. The Pine Guard being the very new and more high stakes chapter, filled with monster hunting and too many threats of his own death. The two were so drastically different that the thought of having the two mix was like mixing beans and chocolate. He had never discussed his past with any of them, all of them being too young or too new in town to have ever heard about his family and rather unfortunate situation. For awhile, he wanted to keep it that way, but he knew that now was the time. Jane was here, and he needed to make sure she knows that he, yes, has friends, and yes, has his life together.

As together as a life can be when having a talking sword, but hey, he wasn't going to push it.

The automatic doors whirred as Duck and Jane stepped into the store, bright fluorescent lights and slightly scuffed linoleum floors making up a good portion of the environment. Metal shelves stood stacked with snacks and assorted grocery items, a small counter in the front being the only somewhat bare surface, with just a cash register and lollipop holder. Behind it sat Leo Tarkesian, the older man flipping through a tabloid magazine as the two entered. Leo's eyes flicked up and he smiled when he saw Duck, only slightly faltering when he spotted Jane partially hidden behind him.

“Duck! How's it goin’?”

Duck tried his best to smile back and answered,  
“I'm good, Leo. Just stopping in to get some groceries, for the weekend. Uh, I don't think you've ever met Jane before? She's, uh, my, sis-”

Jane stepped forward and held out her hand, a dazzling smile encompassing her face, as she spoke louder, covering up her brother’s stammering,  
“Jane. Real nice to meet ya. I'm Duck’s younger sister.”

Leo nodded in return and shook her hand, quickly meeting Ducks eyes with his eyebrows raised.  
“It's great to meet ya too. Hope you have a good time in Kepler. Say, Duck never mentioned a sister before, but uh, maybe it just,”

Leo tapped his fingers in the counter and looked at Duck smugly,  
“slipped his mind, hm?”

Duck gave small laugh and quickly diverted his eyes, looking down the nearest aisle and said to no one in particular,  
“Milk is on sale! Wow, that's uh- that's a bargain!”

His shoes squeaked as he walked away, motioning for Jane to follow. Jane rolled her eyes and trailed after, Leo watching it all, greatly amused, and turned back to his magazine.  
  
As Duck nearly ran down the aisle to escape the very uncomfortable situation, he rounded the corner and ran into someone, falling back and accidentally causing them to drop their items out if their hands.

Duck started murmuring apologies as he reached down hurriedly to pick it up, grabbing three cartons of eggnog and-

Wait, eggnog?  
Who drinks eggnog in _July_ -

“I guess I should've seen that coming, hmm?”

Duck looked up and met his eyes with two round red lenses framing the smiling face of Indrid Cold, his hair pulled back from his face as he stood up, grabbing his eggnog from Ducks hand.

Duck just stood there shocked, words garbled in his mouth as he attempted to apologize again, but was caught off once more by Jane, as she rounded the corner, hands holding two boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

“We have to get this stuff for this weekend, I haven't eaten this in years- and, oh, hey, who's your friend?”

Indrid gave her a smile and replied,  
“Hello, I'm Indrid. Duck and I know each other from work, I help with, I guess you could say, forecasting any incoming inconveniences in the park. I would shake your hand, but I, well-”

Indrid motioned down to his armful of eggnog.  
“seem to have my hands full.”

Jane’s eyes flashed and met Duck’s, eyebrows slightly raised, but soon looked back to Indrid and nodded.  
“It’s real great to meet you. I’m Duck’s sis-“

“Sister. Yes, Duck has mentioned you before.”

“Oh, great. I’m visiting for about a week, haven’t been here in… a while, I guess.”

Indrid looks like he wants to say something to Jane, but his mouth just straightens into a thin line.  
  
As he begins to walk away, he stops himself and turns back around, and leans a little closer to a Duck and whispers out of Jane's ear shot,  
“I'm sorry this meeting came unexpectedly, Duck. I do wish to speak to you soon, but I think we should do so at another time.”

At the close proximity Duck is standing to Indrid, he notices his still blackened eye and winces, struggling out,  
“Drid, I'm really sorry about your eye, I thought-”

Indrid waves his hand and interrupts,  
“Duck, you thought right. You saved me, and I can't thank you enough, but I shall do so another time-”  
  
Indrid bobs his head toward Jane, who is smirking as she stands quietly a few steps away.

“Well, I do hope you enjoy your time here. Maybe I shall see you later. Goodbye Duck, Jane.”

With that, Indrid turns on his heel and pivots in the other direction, disappearing behind a shelf.

Duck didn’t realize that he had maybe forgotten to breath, and took a deep breath, clearing his throat and running his hands absentmindedly through his hair.

“Soooo…”  
Jane starts leaning her shoulder into Duck’s,  
“Is that Mr. ‘I doubt there’s anything there’?”

Duck sputtered and shot back,  
“Hm? What- no, NO, we’re just, uh, buddies, pals, good ol’ friends-“

Jane just looks at Duck, a doubtful look crossing her face, and she rests her boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch at her hips.

“Really. Duck, you know you are quite the _terrible liar._ Probably the worst I know.”

Through Duck’s mind, images flash of fighting the abominations, speaking with Minerva during late nights, watching Aubrey shoot fire from her hands, standing in rooms filled with monsters, eating soup made by Bigfoot, and falling desperately for, well, the literal mothman.

And as deep, deep dread fills his stomach, Duck looks in his sister’s eyes, and realizes just how much she doesn’t know.

Just how much she will never know.

Maybe he should. Maybe he should tell her the truth, and make sure that if he dies fighting, she won’t be too surprised. That she won’t have go through it with no idea. But then there’s the horrible truth that she would not believe him.

Sometimes, lying is easier than the truth.

“Uh… yeah. You got me there, I guess I’m a really-“

Duck thinks of the vision he got before his parents deathly car crash. How he could’ve stopped it, but he didn’t.

“... terrible liar.”

Jane sighed at that and gave a small smile, reaching behind Duck and grabbing 2% milk, shaking it slightly and saying,  
“Well, one thing you didn't lie about is that milk is really on sale.”

Duck gave a relieved chuckle, and followed Jane down another aisle, the sound of a humming air conditioner and squeaky shoes filling his mind as he threw out his intrusive thoughts, catching sight of a white haired man leaving the store with a smile on his face.

* * *

 

A few blocks away, a young woman with a red pompadour and ripped denim vest stands next to an older, graying man with a corduroy jacket as he fiddles with a lock on an apartment door.

“Ned, are you sure this is a good idea? I bet he'll be home soon-”

“Fret not, Aubrey, I'm sure he won't mind us getting comfortable while we wait for him. Mama did say to get him back to the Lodge as soon as possible, and I'm feeling mighty hungry for some Pringles…”

With a click of a lock, Ned pushed the door open, opening his arms and bowing dramatically as Aubrey clapped and walked in, Ned shutting the door behind him with a slam.

As Ned rifled through the cabinets looking for food, Aubrey went and sat on the couch, glancing down at the side table, and noticed for the first time an older picture of a mid-twenties Duck and a younger woman.

Aubrey picked up the photo and smiled, seeing Duck happy and clearly in his ranger’s uniform, looking much newer than the one he wore now. But she paused when she looked by him and saw a similar face with green eyes, arms wrapped around Ducks shoulders and smiling along with him.

“Hey Ned?”  
Ned shot us from behind the counter, mouth stuffed with chips, and gargled something unintelligible as crumbs flew from his mouth.

“Who do you think this is?”  
Ned strode over and glanced over Aubrey’s shoulder, studying the picture as he swallowed.

“Hm… possibly a family member? Old friend?”

Aubrey's face scrunched up and she held it closed, clearly wondering who it was.  
“I dunno… they look so much alike, maybe it's a sister? He never mentions one before, though-”

Aubrey, unfortunately, didn't have time to finish, for the sounds of footsteps along with two voices echoed down the hall, one being the recognizable Appalachian drawl of Duck, and the other being a higher and more honey-like sound of a woman.

Ned and Aubrey paused, and the door swung open, Duck standing in the doorway, clearly confused as to why his front door was already unlocked.

That mystery was soon solved when he saw Aubrey holding a picture of none other than himself and Jane on the first day of his job, and Ned holding his can of Pringles, both of them looking like deer in headlights.

“Well,” Duck started, beginning to take in just how screwed he was.

“ **fuck**.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all,  
> last chapter posted in April? oops! oops!!!  
> ok, so I had a lot happening in May, and I'm finally graduated and out of school for the summer! so updates will be much more frequent. I'm hoping to finish this before the end of June, so be on the lookout for that!
> 
> half of this chapter was written in May, and the other have was written on planes and buses during a school trip. also, my google docs crashed like three times, and I had to double check a lot of facts in this chapter specifically. the past timeline of Kepler is kinda messy, so I took some liberty with it all while still trying to stick to the main canon. we're finally in the thick of it, so I hope you all enjoyed it so far, and thank you for the support! comments and kudos mean a lot, and make my day when I see them! 
> 
> see you soon (I promise)  
> stay fresh,  
> sephrati


	5. You Never Mentioned a Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck and Jane receive an invitation. Ned and Aubrey meet the mystery girl. The Lodge gets a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy y’all! :)

Jane pushed past Duck and looks into the apartment, clearly annoyed on her brother’s behalf on the unwelcome visitors, and snaps in their direction,

“Hey, who the fuck are you?”

As Ned simply pops another Pringle in his mouth, Aubrey stands up from the couch and furrows her brow.

“I think the better question, is who the fuck are you! Wait, uh-”

In an attempt to angrily point in Jane’s direction, Aubrey holds the picture frame next to her face, and a lightbulb goes off in her head.

“You're the girl from the picture! Hey, Ned, mystery solved!”

Duck, in the timespan this takes place, leans on the door with his head in his hands, muttering,

“Oh _god_ , oh- fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck…”

Jane rests her hand on Duck’s shoulder and murmurs,

“Duckie? Are you okay?”

Duck waves her off and stood up, taking a very deep breath.

“Okay, okay, okay… uh, Ned, Aubrey, this is my little sister, Jane, and Jane, these are my two… coworkers?”

With an uncertain glance, Jane and Aubrey meet each other’s eyes, and they study each other carefully. Then, with surprising speed and force, Aubrey crosses the room and catches Jane in a tight bear hug. Jane makes a startled noise and gives a small pat back, saying,

“Uh… nice to meet you too?”

After Ned reaches the end of his Pringles can, he motions for Duck to meet him in another room, mouthing across the room,

“Need to talk. NOW.”

Duck nods and taps Jane on the shoulder, causing Aubrey to finally let her go.

“Hey, I know you've only seen pictures before, but I think it's time to meet your favorite niece!”

And with one fluid motion, Duck brings her attention to the kitchen counter, where an orange tabby cat cocks its head. 

Jane lights up and rushes over, gathering the cat in her arms and exclaiming,

“DAISY! Such a good girl! You’re getting to be so big!” 

Duck smiles and whispers to Aubrey,

“Keep her distracted, I’ll be right back-”

Duck silently strides over to the hallway and enters his bedroom, where Ned is sitting on is bed with his hands folded on his lap, a small smile on his face.

“Family in town, friend Duck?”

Duck sighs and shoots back,

“Shut up Ned. What are you two doing here?”

“Well, Duck, Mama had requested that we get you for a team dinner. Boost some morale, possibly discus some future threats. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you brought Jan-”

Duck interrupts and waves his hands,

“No. Absolutely not. I'm not bringing her near the Lodge. God, can’t this wait till next week, this is just the worst fucking timing-”

 Ned stands up and rests his hands on Duck’s shoulders,

“Duck, do not even worry. We'll be on our best behavior, she'll have a great time. Plus, we invited Indrid, and I know how close you two are-”

At that, Ned wiggles his eyebrows, and Ducks face erupts in red and he swats Ned’s hands away, stammering,

“Number one, I don't care if Indrid is there or not, I mean I do care, but to an extent that is purely- uh, platonic, and, number two, how the fuck do you know he's back? I just ran into him and nearly had a stroke in front of my sister and the frozen section of the store, and number THREE, I just want my sister to have a nice, calm stay. I haven't seen her, in… a time, so for fuck’s sake, I want it to go the best it can, and that will be NOT be fulfilled if I bring her to a dinner for a team of MONSTER HUNTERS, Ned Chicane.” 

Ned looks confused as Duck continues on, and as he finishes, holds up three fingers and points to each one, saying,

“One, Duck Newton, I know you’re full of shit, but I'll leave that discussion for later, two, Aubrey and I checked today on the Winnebago and he was there, so we invited him and he said yes, and three-”

Ned meets Duck’s eyes and asks quieter,

“Just how long have you not seen your sister?”

Duck stares at the floor and mutters,

“Uh… I don't know, maybe like…”

His voice goes even quieter as he stammers out,

“Twenty years?”

“Twenty fucking YEARS?”

Ned's voice booms through the room and Dusk slaps a hand over his mouth, meeting his surprised eyes with his own,

“Ned fucking Chicane, would you shut your mouth. She had her reasons and I respect that, so god help me if want to make the most of it.”

Ned looks guilty for a second, and says with an old wisdom that Duck both hates and appreciates,

“Well, friend Duck, if it has truly been that long, don’t you think that she would want to know your life? Your friends? Your romantic pursu-“

“No. Nope. I’m done-“

Duck turns on his heel and storms out of his own bedroom, ready to kick Ned and Aubrey out of his apartment immediately. To his surprise, he turns the corner to find Aubrey and Jane chatting idly in the couch, Daisy sitting on Jane’s lap purring happily. 

Jane looks up and smiles, calling,

“Hey, Duckie, Aubrey was telling me about a dinner you have tonight with your friends. I thought it sounded pretty fun, and I’d love to meet more of them.”

Next to her, Aubrey gives a smug smile and adds,

“I already told her we’d be more than happy to set an extra seat. Cmon, it’ll be fun.”

Duck, against all better judgement, sighs, and looks at the pleading smile on his sister’s face, knowing very well his answer.

“I-uh… yeah, sure, we’ll be there. What time?”

He feels a firm grasp on his shoulder and turns his head to see Ned, smiling brightly and winking at him.

“Well, according to my watch, we’re actually a little late. I suggest we get right on our way.

Jane smiles and plops Daisy on the couch, standing up and whispering to Duck,

“I’m so excited! Aubrey and Ned are so nice, so I bet your other coworkers are too!”

Yep, Duck thinks. My other coworkers.

You know, Bigfoot, moth man, a very scary woman named Mama, the vampire, whatever the fuck Jake Coolice is, the rabid man in the cellar, and the two she already met, the fire weilder, and Ned Fucking Chicane, the biggest headache and bullshitter in Kepler.

 Oh, and who could forget himself, and the talking sword he stuffed in a box, duck taped, and made Leo take, who’s supposed mentor probably died in a meteor crash.

Just another day at his 9 to 5.

Duck puts on an uneasy smile and says,

“Yep. They are all very nice. It’ll be a good time.”

Jane smiles and starts moving towards the door as Duck looks over the situation he’s in, and wishes very much that he could see the future like one man with large red glasses. 

Although, Duck needs no future vision to see very clearly that he is so, so, unbelievably, fucked

 

* * *

 

Jane quickly puts her suitcase in the apartment and freshens up in Duck’s guest room while Ned, Aubrey, and Duck stay waiting in the kitchen. After Jane comes out, Ned says that he would be happy to drive her to the lodge and give a small tour of the town while Duck and Aubrey go check in the ranger station.

When Jane looks to her brother for conformation, he tries to muddle his way through the lie hiding the fact that he needs Ned to take Jane somewhere for a little bit, while he and Aubrey go to the Lodge early so Duck can threaten them all to be on their best behavior and keep their mouths shut. Aubrey eventually steps in and starts babbling about the threat of wildfires and how Duck very much needs to check the forest, and that satisfies Jane enough to get into Ned’s van, when on sight she asks,

“Why a crepe car? Is this your side job?”

Which gives Duck and Aubrey enough time to slip away into Mama’s car and start driving, thankfully missing Ned’s spiel about his life story and how good of car it is.

The drive up is deadly silent, the purr of the engine being the only noise besides the slight groaning of Duck, hands so firmly in the wheel that his knuckles are turning white. Aubrey looks out the window, a little annoyed that Duck wouldn’t let her drive just because of the one time she drove it partially into the lake, but also worried for her friend. 

“Duck… Ned told me while you were helping Jane about what… happened. Between you and her. And I’m really sorry, we didn’t want to intervene, I-“

 Duck sighs and interrupts, saying,

“Aubrey, it’s not your fault. I mean, yeah, it would’ve been nice to have some time alone with her before I introduced her to literally everyone, but I wanted to do it eventually. It’s not ideal, but I trust you all. It’s gonna be okay.”

Aubrey gives a soft smile and Duck smiles back, adding,

“Plus, it was really great to see you two hit it off. You always reminded me of her.”

In a few minutes, Duck and Aubrey arrive at the Lodge, while Ned and Jane are still across town on their “tour”, hopefully tying them up long enough that Duck can brief everyone on what’s happening.

When they enter the Lodge lobby, though, something immediately seems off. Mama and Dani sit tight lipped on a couch near the fire, eyes flicking up to meet Duck and Aubrey’s as they slowly shake their heads. Jake Coolice is eerily quiet as he pets Dr. Harris Bonkers while sitting on an armchair, and Indrid is perched on the fireplaces edge, wearing a turtleneck in the July heat, which is very on brand, but also looking quite uncomfortable. 

It isn’t until Duck spots Barclay in the kitchen, stirring something in the pot and laughing at something to his right. Soon, some footsteps echo as the door to the kitchen swing open, revealing Agent Stern, in his full suit and tie, smiling at Duck and Aubrey.

“Hello, Duck, Aubrey. It’s very nice to see you both. Doesn’t the food just smell delicious? I cannot wait until dinner.”  

Behind him in the dining room, an eight seat table is set, and Moira is dragging over another chair, glaring at Agent Stern’s back.

Duck gives a small forced laugh, and his mind races for answers. Should he turn back and drag Jane out of here before she even arrives? Should he punch Indrid once again, but this time for not warning him about this debacle? Should he run away into the wilderness and live as a hermit?

Unfortunately, his mind gives him possibly the worst solution, and Duck blurts out,

“Well, we might need to set one more seat, because my sister is coming!”

All eyes widen as Duck mentions a never before talked about sister just as the front door swings open, a chattering Ned and Jane stepping into the building. They silence once they realize all eyes are on them, and Ned whispers to Duck,

“I tried to give her a tour of the Cryptonomica, but she insisted on coming here since we were already late. She’s just as stubborn as you-“

Amidst all the awkward silence, Agent Stern comes forward and holds out his hand to Jane, introducing himself,

“Agent Stern, FBI. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Jane just stares at him and looks sideways to Duck, clearly confused, but shakes back,

“Uhhh… hello? I’m Jane Newton, Duck’s little sister.”

Everyone stares aghast at the meeting taking place, and Aubrey taps Duck on the shoulder, murmuring,

“Hey, Duck? You okay?”

Duck stares off into space, face drained of all color, and replies,

“Me? No. Nope. Absolutely not. Thank you for asking.”

Barclay walks out, hands holding two steaming pans, and looks over the room, clearly apologetic to Duck, which makes him wonder if Barclay had something to do with Stern’s presence. Although, Duck has no time to dwell on this fact, because Barclay clears his throat and stammers out,

“Um… well, everyone can come sit down. Dinner’s ready.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what’s up y’all-  
> hey! thankfully, it hasn’t been too long since the last chapter. summer is kinda crazy, but I really buckled down and tried to get this out.
> 
> as you can maybe see, this is the second to last chapter! to some, six chapters may not seem like a lot, but to me it really means so much! this will be my first finished fic, and I’m so excited but also kinda sad! you have all been so supportive and I’m very thankful for that. I just hit ten thousand words on this as well, and as someone who never imagined herself as a fic writer, it makes me really happy.
> 
> I have plans for after this, that have to do with finishing my two abandoned stories I kinda left behind. I also have two other ideas that I really hope I can begin this summer. (more of this will be talked about at the end of the last chapter)
> 
> speaking of the last chapter, that one is going to be the longest one, so that means it might take me a bit. my goal is to get it done before the beginning of July, and I’m going to hold myself to that.  
> the fic is definitely getting more complicated, and writing dialogue for all these characters is going to be an interesting (but good!) time.
> 
> also? good omens? is very good. blame my procrastination on that.
> 
> a l s o, thank you sincerely to my best friend who has read every chapter and always supported me. every weird reference is put in to make her laugh, and even though you still haven’t caught up on Amnesty, you still listen to my ramblings! love ya!!!
> 
> kudos if you enjoyed, and comments mean the world to me! they don’t have to be coherent, smash your keyboards!!! leave proper words behind!!!
> 
> thank y’all so much for reading, and I’ll see you at the end ;)
> 
> stay fresh,  
> sephrati


	6. It Was Never Your Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck and Jane have dinner with the Lodge. Tears are shed, a relationship is built, and someone smiles from above.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is it folks. thank you all so much :)

  
“Duck.”  
He kept walking, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.  
“ _DUCK_ -”  
This time, he paused for a second, but he kept on moving toward the dining room.  
“I swear to Sylvain-”  
Indrid grabbed hold of Duck’s sleeve and spun him around, hissing,   
“I'm sorry, okay? There were so many futures, it's hard to keep track-”

Duck just sighed and said,   
“You know what ‘Drid? That I can forgive you for. But you know what I don't? The fact I was worried sick about you for weeks, and you decide the best time to reenter is when my fucking sister is in town? Make excuses all you want, but I'm not in the mood to argue into you. I gotta go keep the fuckin’ federal agent away from Jane.”

Duck brushed Indrid off his harshly and turned on his heel, beelining toward where Jane was sitting. Indrid looked extremely hurt and stared at the floor, shuffling to the direct other end of the table.

Jane looked up and smiled as Duck walked over, and whispered to him,   
“Everything smells delicious, but I gotta ask, why is the FBI here?”

Duck opened his mouth like a gaping fish, struggling to explain that Mr. Scary FBI guy was here looking for Bigfoot, the same Bigfoot that had tossed the salad and made the soup. Thankfully, he was interrupted by the sound of voices and scraping chairs as everyone else filled in around the long rectangular table.

Duck and Jane sat next to each other on the end, and on Duck's left, Aubrey, Dani, and Jake filled in. Indrid sat on the other end across the table, looking down at his plate, and by him sat Ned, a very annoyed Mama, a very scared looking Barclay who the dirty looks were aimed towards, and a smiling Stern.

Who was sitting right across from Jane.   
Fucking fantastic.

“Well, dig in everyone!”  
Mama’s voice echoed across the table as everyone reaches for the food, plates and silver wave clinking as Stern asked Jane,   
“So, are you in town long?

Jane set down her soup spoon, clearly disappointed she couldn't start eating, but answered politely,  
“Just for a week. But I'm really quite excited, I haven't been to Kepler in- awhile.”

Duck grimaced slightly at that, and sipped his water, his appetite lost thanks to the stress he was under. He looked over at Jane as she plunged her spoon into her French Onion soup, a small smile on her lips.

“You look like this is the first time you've seen soup since you left, Janie.”

Everyone's eyes snapped up and quietly watched Duck and Jane, still processing the fact that Duck had a sibling that he had never once mentioned.

“Oh- uh…”  
Jane gave a nervous laugh and began bringing the spoon to her lips, murmuring,   
“I suppose I really haven't eaten it in twenty years.”

Duck furrowed his brow and said a little too loudly,   
“What? It was your favorite food. I thought-”

“People change, Duck.”  
Jane's happy demeanor faded a second as she shot back, and then she just looked down in her soup.

Then, as if on cue, Stern jumped in and asked,  
“You mentioned twenty years? I suppose it's none of my business, but have you not come home in twenty years?”

Duck shot a very angry glare at Stern as Jane replied, all politeness lost,  
“You're right. It is none of your business, but if you must know, I haven't been to Kepler in twenty years. On top of that, it's not exactly my ‘home’ either. New York is my home, not the town I grew up in.”

Stern at least had the sense to look embarrassed as he looked down at the table, which made 3/10 of the dinner party averting their eyes.

Aubrey and Ned met eyes from across the table and nodded, and Aubrey spoke up, breaking the silence by saying,   
“So, Jake, have you been practicing any new tricks lately?”

This prompted Jake to launch into a long spiel about some flip twist trick or whatever, which thankfully took the table’s attention away from Duck and Jane. In this moment of some privacy, Duck whispered to Jane,  
“Hey, just ignore Stern. Nobody else here is a big fan of him either.”

Duck quickly glanced up and saw Barclay murmur something to Stern, a small smile on both their faces.

Well, almost everyone.

Jane shrugged and replied,  
“It’s fine. It’s made up for by this hella good soup.”

Duck smiled at that, glad Jane wasn’t too upset, but his mind kept wandering back to what she said about home. How Kepler was not her home. Although it really shouldn’t have bothered Duck much, it did. She may live in New York now, but home meant something more. She grew up here, they grew up here.

Their parents graves were here.

His attention was snapped out of this thought when he hears Indrid his something to Barclay, his face worried. Barclay strained to hear, but Duck only caught some snippets that sounded like,  
 _“Stop- Stern- say something- stupid-“_

This confused him until Stern opened his mouth, directing a question to both Jane and Duck.

“So, do your parents live here? Have you been able to spend some time with them yet?”

Duck felt Jane immediately stiffen, and he saw Indrid’s face drop, looking guilty as all hell. Aubrey and Ned sucked in a deep breath, and Duck searched his mind hurriedly for a response.

“Uh- well- um…”

He was interrupted by the squeak of a chair against the floor, Jane standing up and muttering,  
“I… need- I’m gonna go to the bathroom, excuse me-“

She walked away quickly down the adjoining hallway, Duck standing up immediately, instantly going to chase after her.

He met Stern’s eyes, confused and concerned, and decided he had one more important thing to do.

“What the fuck was that about? Can’t you just leave my sister alone? For someone who’s supposedly in the goddamn FBI, you really can’t read the room, can’t you?”

Stern’s gave turned red and he stammered,  
“I’m- I’m so sorry- I just wanted to make conversation-“

Duck was also now bright red, but for a different reason. He was furious at Stern, furious at Barclay, Indrid, Aubrey, Ned, but mostly himself, for dragging Jane into this mess.

“Make conversation? If you haven’t noticed, nobody wants you here. Stop trying to ‘make conversation’ and get the fuck out of our lives.”

Agent Stern stood up and started walking toward the stairs, the other direction that Jane went. His face was guilty and he muttered,  
“I- I’m sorry.”

Duck took a deep breath as he heard the footsteps go up the stairs, and Barclay glared at him and whisper yelled,  
“What the fuck was that? He was just asking a question. He’s human, he makes mistakes. And you know what, Duck? Maybe if you actually gave him a chance, you would see he’s not that bad.”

Barclay stood up and followed where Stern went, eyes stone cold, and Duck whispered yelled right back,  
“Well Barclay, none of this wouldn’t have happened if you had some common sense and didn’t fuckin’ invite him in the first place.”

Barclays made no reply and stormed away, leaving only seven people at the table.

The room was deadly silent, and Indrid spoke up softly, saying,  
“Duck, I know you’re upset now, but I think it’s best you tell everyone the truth.”

Duck sighed and looked at Indrid carefully, Indrid meeting his eyes back and moved his head with a nod. He took a deep breath and started,  
“Uhm… Jane and I’s parents died in a car crash when we were young. She was only 17 and I was in my twenties. She hasn’t been back to Kepler since she left for college, and I just wanted to make everything go perfect, but, well…”

He motioned to the three empty seats and said,  
“That clearly didn’t work out too well.”

Indrid have a sad smile and Mama replied,  
“I can’t blame ya for that, Duck. None of us can. Look, I’ll talk to Barclay, he’s just a little on edge recently. I think you should go find her.”

Indrid added,  
“She’s pacing in the hall around the corner.”

Duck nodded and grabbed his keys, meeting Ned and Aubrey’s eyes as they both whispered,  
“Good luck.”

He walked carefully down the carpeted hallway, and turned the corner to find Jane standing slumped against a wall, her eyes slightly red.

She stood up straighter when she saw Duck and wiped her face, trying to gather herself.  
“Hey- I’m real sorry, I overreacted, let’s get back to dinner-“

Duck didn’t answer and went forward, pulling Jane into a hug. She gave a small sound of surprise and then stayed silent, making no move to stop it.

“Janie, can I take you somewhere?”

Jane looked up and furrowed her brow, asking,  
“Where?”

Duck just smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the exit door.

* * *

 

Duck put the car into park and looked over at Jane, her eyes glassed over and sad.

She looked up at Duck with surprise, as though she was asking,  
“Really? Right now?”

Duck got out of the car and Jane followed, their feet scuffing the ground as they strolled along the sidewalks of Kepler Cemetery.

The grass was a bright green thanks to the summer rains, but there was little sun as the sky turned to dusk. The headstones were caught in the rays of the dwindling sun, the names of those passed being whispered by the wind around them.

Duck walked slightly in front of Jane, the path to their parent’s grave ingrained in his memory after laying flowers on their headstones on the first Monday of every month. Jane trailed slightly behind, her throat completely choked up as she entered the place she had avoided for nearly twenty years.

After a few minutes, Duck stopped and veered from the path, walking a couple of more feet until he paused and then fully stopped. Jane sucked in a sharp inhale as her eyes read her parent’s names. Duck stood in front of Donald’s, and Jane next to  
him in front of Catherine’s.

“Duc- Donald…”

Duck looked at his sister, eyes widening in surprise as she used his actual name, a word he had not heard her utter since she was little.

“I-”

A sob escaped her threat as she struggled out,  
“I'm so _sorry_ -”

Jane's voice croaked, and Duck went to her quickly, enveloping her in a tight hug. She cried into his shoulder, tears streaking her face as Duck wiped his own eyes.

“I never meant to be gone so long. I ran from Kepler, but I- I ended up running from you too.”

Jane muttered into his shoulder, her grip tightening as she finally let go.

Duck stepped back, hands still in her shoulders, and replied,

“Janie, it's ok. I- I've always missed you so much. But I knew you needed time, so I gave you that. It was so hard on you, it was so hard on us.”

Jane sniffled and said,  
“I've never really talked about it before. Their death. I always blamed myself, always felt so guilty. I told them I hated them, did you know that? My last words, that I hated them-”

Another sob left Jane’s mouth and Duck wiped away her tears, saying softly,  
“I blamed myself too. I blamed the entire world, Janie. But you know what? They'd be so fuckin’ proud of you. Of who you've become.”

Duck’s mind flashed back to the vision he had before his parent's death. How he spent years hating himself for not doing anything, for allowing the crash to happen. But now, looking at his sister, he realized it truly wasn't his fault. He was young, and he was afraid. Now he was using his powers for good, and even if he didn't have the real superhuman abilities anymore, he was still helping. He was a Pine Guard member, a friend, and most importantly of all, a big brother.

It was nobody's fault. Not Jane’s, not Duck’s, not the world. It was just how it was, and what was important now was that they had each other.

Duck leaned down slightly and said, more tears dripping down his cheeks,  
“It doesn't matter where you are, how long you're gone. You're always their daughter, you're always my little sister, you're always Kepler at heart.”

Jane gave a small smile and whispered,   
“Thank you, Duckie. But I'm done with running away, I want you to be in my life. I want to meet more of your crazy friends, I want you to be in my wedding. Please forgive my for all my stupid shit, and come be my big brother again.

Duck smiled back and replied,  
“I never stopped.”

Duck and Jane held onto each other tight, and a cool breeze blew through the usually hot summer air.

In their shadows, a young Duck and Jane stood apart twenty years ago. The earth then was fresh, the tombstones shiny and new. There was a rift between them, one they had no idea how long it would separate them. Two decades ago, Jane ran somewhere to escape Kepler, and Duck stayed shackled by destiny. Now, in the present, grass slightly covers the stone, overgrown and green. The names are readable but worn, and a brother and sister stand together, not apart.

A brother and sister are no longer alone.

A couple miles away, Barclays sits in Agent Stern’s room, consoling him and trying to coax him back downstairs.

“Everyone hates me, Barclay. I'm smart enough to know that.”

Agent Stern sits on his bed, back turned as Barclay leans in the doorway.

“I don't hate you, Stern. And nobody else does either. They're just intimidated, and Duck is just stressed about his sister. It's not your fau-”

“It is my fault.”

Agent Stern is standing now, facing Barclays, his face sad and tired.  
“Every case, every city, every small town, it's the same thing. No one likes the FBI agent, no one wants to talk to him. I'm used to it, ok? I get it.”

Barclay sighs and walks forward, replying,  
“Well, for me at least, I quite like the FBI agent, and I talk to him a lot. And I know people make mistakes, and I also know that certain people really like apple pie, that I just so happened to make for dessert tonight.”

Agent Stern gave a small smile and said,   
“That's very kind of you Barclay, but I don't know if I can face anyone right now.”

Barclay shrugged and said,   
“I do know of a pantry closet that has plenty of room in, if you would so do me the honor, Agent Stern.”

He opened the door with a flourish, and Agent Stern stepped forward, saying,  
“I'm sure I can agree to that. But, please,”  
He smiled and met Barclay’s eyes,  
“...call me Lucky.”

Downstairs, a group of nervous Pine guard members nurse their drinks as Indrid Cold carefully flicks through futures, everyone watching him carefully.

After seeing Duck chase after Jane, everyone had promptly lost their appetite, and instead asked Indrid to watch over the future to make sure they were okay.

Finally, a small smile encompasses his face, and he gently calls out,   
“Yes, they're gonna be just fine. I also think we should make reservations at The Grill tomorrow. I know of two siblings who would very much appreciate some French Onion soup.”

Back at the cemetery, Duck and Jane stay still as they hold on tight to each other, leaving words left unsaid as a few more stray tears dot their cheeks. Duck may be older and slightly grayer, and Jane’s hair may no longer be long and brown, but they're still the same as they were back then.

Well, possibly not quite the same. They're no longer weighed down by their parent's death, no longer as angry at the world for their exit, as unsatisfying and abrupt as it was. They're happier, and more importantly, they're together.

Somewhere above, Donald and Catherine Newton smile, finally seeing their children reunite after so long, and wonder why it took them so long.

Kepler was awfully quiet that day.  
But this time, for all the right reasons.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all,   
> wow. this is the finale of Kepler at heart, and I couldn't be more happy and sad. This has been such a rewarding experience for me, and I can't believe I've finished my first full fic. I stayed up a little late to finish writing this because I promised that it would be done before July, and I did it! Writing this really taught me about fulfilling my own personal deadlines. I can't believe chapter 1 came out in January, that just seems so insane to me. This is definitely not a super long fic or even a very good one, but to me it means the world. I have so many people to to thank, so here goes!
> 
> Thank you to everyone reading this right now. You all mean so much to me, and if you've been here since chapter 1 or are coming to the end first off, I truly can't thank you enough. Every comment and kudos is the reason I kept writing, and I especially want to thank the people who commented multiple times, I always recognized your name and lit up when I saw the notification pop up! Thank you to Cecilia, my best friend, who read every single chapter even though you have no idea what's going on in Amnesty, you're my biggest fan and I love you very much <3 Thank you to the fic writer that inspired me to go on and write this, and lastly, thank you to the McElroys for making the greatest podcast on earth and giving me the basis to write this entire story 
> 
> I have so much to say, but I'm really tired, so this isn't as eloquent as I would like it to be. I've decided that I'm going to go back and fix some editing mistakes and rework my italicizations and stuff like that while also throwing in more links to my Tumblr and Spotify playlists, so look out for that. Also, I maaayybbee will write a onehsot epilogue for this story that will be posted separately in the same series, so look out for that as well. As far as new works entirely, I have one fic planned for Amnesty, and another more secretive one I've wanted to write for a long time. :)
> 
> I'm very tired, so I'm gonna end it here, but sincerely, thank you so much for reading. please kudos and comment, I really would love hearing from you all and to cry with you over this chapter. I'm so grateful for everything, and I hope you all have enjoyed Kepler at Heart. It's been one hell of a ride, folks. 
> 
> stay fresh,   
> sephrati


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